Items tagged with bloatware
Many smartphone users would agree that bloatware, or pre-installed apps that cannot be deleted, are fairly irritating. However, several organizations are now also arguing that bloatware could potentially violate users’ privacy. An open letter from over fifty groups has requested that Google prevent bloatware from...
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Another day, another device vulnerability. It was recently discovered that hackers are able to remotely execute code with admin privileges through a Dell SupportAssist utility vulnerability. It is believed that a “high number” of users could be impacted.
American security researcher Bill Demirkapi discovered the...
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If you're a Verizon Wireless customer looking to purchase a Galaxy S9 or Galaxy S9+ in the near future, we've got some bad news for you. America's largest wireless carrier has just signed deal with Samsung that will see Verizon’s Oath subsidiary install bloatware across devices that are Bixby-enabled.
We don't know...
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The last thing that Verizon customers were probably asking for was the addition of yet another app to invade their Android smartphone. But that is just what the nation's #1 wireless carrier is doing with the inclusion of AppFlash, which will gain prominent positioning on the home screens of Verizon smartphones (sans...
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There are clean installations of Windows and then there are OEM "clean" installations of Windows. An oft-recommended tip for anyone upgrading one version of Windows to another (even a new Windows 10 build) is to use the "Reset" feature in the OS to reinstall the entire OS. The problem, though, is that if the computer...
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If you’re a cheapskate when it comes to purchasing a new smartphone, Amazon is doing its best to revive the Fire Phone without actually manufacturing its own hardware (which was a disastrous endeavor). The online retail giant has initially partnered with two hardware OEM to subsidize the cost of brand new Android...
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In our opinion, Windows 10 is undeniably the best version of Windows to come out of Redmond, and it's only going to get better with time. We know this because Microsoft's been testing some neat new features in its Windows Insider program, one of the latest of which is a tool designed to give your Windows installation...
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It seems as though Google just can't catch a break with foreign governments. In recent months, we've seen the EU pressure the company over supposed favoritism it's showing itself within shopping results, and now, Russia is accusing Google of breaking antitrust laws by bundling its own apps with Android. Oy!
In...
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Bloatware, Bloatware, Bloatware! We all hate bloatware. And with the exception of a few companies like Apple, Motorola, and Google (with its Nexus devices) there aren’t many ways to avoid factory- or carrier-installed bloatware without rooting a device. One of the biggest offenders in years past has been Samsung, and...
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Lenovo had a rough go of it over the past few weeks. First, news broke that Lenovo had installed Superfish (widely regarded as adware) on some of its notebooks. As public outcry mounted, Lenovo offered a public apology and provided customers with instructions for removing Superfish. But all the negative publicity...
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In many smartphone reviews here at HotHardware, we've said we wish carriers would leave bloatware off of the phones or, at the very least, allow users to uninstall the bloatware. It appears Sprint has heard our (and many others') request. The new HTC EVO 3D from Sprint actually lets users uninstall many (but not all) of the programs that come...
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In this episode of Two and a Half Geeks, Dave, Iyaz, and Marco discuss the new Dell Streak 7 Android-based tablet and Seagate’s 2TB Barracuda Green SATA 6G hard drive. We also talk about HotHardware’s open letter to system builders regarding bloatware, in addition to the plethora of announcements from...
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We're not quite sure what to think of Best Buy's new Software Installer. On one hand, this connected desktop application helps eliminate the unwanted bloatware that generally comes on new PCs, something we've mentioned time and again that we don't appreciate. On the other hand, the electronics retailer's Software Installer is another program...
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People were up in arms when Sony announced its "Fresh Start" no bloatware option - because Sony wanted to charge $50 for it.Starting on Saturday, Sony's Fresh Start software optimization feature will be free, the company announced.Fresh Start is a Sony feature that lets customers buy certain laptops without so-called "bloatware," trial software...
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